REASONS FOR OCCURRENCE

There are various reasons why it manifests and they differ from person to person.  Some of them are:

• Pulling the foreskin back for a physical examination by a doctor.
• Pulling back the foreskin for cleaning, urinating, or having sex, and not returning it to the normal position.
• Foreskin being retracted for a prolonged period.
• Injury in the area.
• Infection due to various factors.
• Poor personal hygiene.

DIAGNOSIS OF PARAPHIMOSIS

• A doctor would ask specific questions to evaluate the symptoms/discomfort related to paraphimosis.
• A physical examination would be performed to inspect the swelling or tenderness of the penis
• Any previous history of sexual discomfort.
• Paraphimosis diagnosis does not involve elaborate tests.

HOW TO PREVENT PARAPHIMOSIS

There are ways in which medical situations like Paraphimosis can be avoided.  The most basic are:

• By adapting basic hygiene and avoiding infections.
• Seeing a doctor when facing sexual discomfort or tenderness.
• Placing the foreskin over the top of the penis after retracting post sex.
• Circumcision
• Keeping the tip of the penis clean and dry.
• Avoid leaving the foreskin behind the tip of the penis for too long

WHEN TO CONSULT A DOCTOR

Paraphimosis, if not treated well on time, can lead to serious complications for males.  It can restrict blood flow of the penis by interrupting the oxygen of the tissues leading to serious complications like:

• Severe infection.
• Damage to the tip of the penis.
• Impact on sexual life.
• Gangrene, or tissue death, resulting in the loss of the tip of the penis.

TREATMENT OF PARAPHIMOSIS

Surgery is the highly recommended treatment for complex Paraphimosis cases.  Circumcision surgery (removal of the foreskin from the tip of the penis) is recommended which not only helps calm the symptoms of Paraphimosis but also prevents the condition from recurring.

Three types of circumcision procedures to treat Paraphimosis :

• Laser circumcision
• Stapler circumcision
• Open circumcision.

• Laser circumcision surgery:   A high-beam laser is used to cut the foreskin and remove it.  The procedure is quick and minimally invasive, which would not require stitches and cause minimal blood loss, and the patient can resume activities within 3-4 days; however, it might take a week to heal the wounds.  It is a short 20-minute outpatient procedure performed under general or local anesthesia.
• Stapler circumcision surgery: It is a minimally-invasive, painless procedure that is performed under general or local anesthesia that is used for safe, quick, and efficient removal of the penis foreskin. Under this procedure, a surgical stapler is used by the surgeon to extract the skin and close its edges.  No scars or wounds are expected in this procedure.
• Open circumcision surgery: The procedure is performed under general or local anesthesia and is the most conventional method for circumcision. Once the patient is sedated, the surgeon measures the foreskin to be removed by retracting it from the grains and placing it back to the shaft. They then use a scalpel to extract the skin. The skin is then cauterized or stitched back to the shaft with dissolvable sutures.

RISKS & COMPLICATIONS OF SURGERY:

Surgeries on the most sensitive part of the body can get riskier sometimes; however, circumcision surgery is generally quite safe under an experienced doctor.  However, some risks and complications can develop in rare cases, which are:

• The incisions can put a person at risk of infections.  Hence, proper care is needed to avoid delay in recovery.
• The incision area must be well taken care of, and bleeding should be strictly avoided. Consult a doctor if it doesn’t stop or get better on its own.
• You should reach the doctor if you experience urine retention (cannot pass the urine), and no urine in 8 hours, which is a rare complication.
• Some people might suffer bleeding from the incision after the procedure.
• Wound-healing process, being a very sensitive surgery can affect healing time. In rare cases, the patient can experience a few complications like a circumcision scare or skin issues.
• Circumcision is performed under general anesthesia, however, some patients can develop a reaction to it like nausea, vomiting, or headache.